Health & Welfare

Prescription Receipts Filed Manually

Effective August 1, 2017, there will be a change to the way you file your paper receipts. Since the Prescription Card Program was implemented, there are very few instances that require submission of your paper receipts. Submitting paper receipts is done mainly for prescriptions purchased without using your Caremark card and for situations where you, your spouse or your dependents are covered by other insurance first and the Laborers’ Welfare Fund is secondary. Read more...

Member Self-Service Portal

The Boards of Trustees are pleased to announce the launch of a Member Self-Service Portal to help you access important information about your health care benefits. You can access this portal from your computer or mobile device. Here are some exciting features of the Member Self-Service Portal.

Affordable Care Act Notice

This notice was sent to all active participants in the Chicago Laborers’ Welfare Fund on behalf of their employers as required by the Affordable Care Act, sometimes called Obamacare. Participants in the Chicago Laborers’ Welfare Fund do not need to shop for different or additional insurance. The Welfare Fund’s health coverage is considered affordable and adequate as defined by the Affordable Care Act because it covers at least 60% of eligible expenses. This means Chicago Laborers’ Welfare Fund participants do not need to take any action. Read more...

New Caremark Maintenance Choice Benefit

Effective February 1, 2013, if you go to a Caremark Pharmacy, you have the option to participate in the Maintenance Choice Benefit. This benefit gives you a lower price for a 90-day supply of a maintenance drug. You can also order your 90-day supply through Caremark's mail order service.

You will still be responsible to pay for your medications purchased at a participating CVS Pharmacy or ordered through the mail order service. Remember to submit a copy of your paid receipt for reimbursement.

New Dependent Wellness Benefit for Children under the Retiree Plans

Effective January 1, 2013, dependent children of retirees became eligible for wellness benefits payable at 100% for covered wellness expenses. To be eligible, the child must meet the Plan's eligibility requirements.

Pension

1099-R Tax Forms

The Internal Revenue Service requires the Fund to report pension recipient's earnings to the IRS by Form 1099-R. Form 1099-R forms are mailed by January 31, 2018. If you do not receive Form 1099-R or if you need another copy, please contact the Fund Office. This request can be made via mail, telephone or email Pension@chilpwf.com.

Pension payments to "Non-Resident Aliens" (non-US citizens, collecting pension benefits while residing in another country) may be subject to federal tax withholding under IRS Section 1441. For these pensioners, you will not receive Form 1099-R, instead you will receive Form 1042-S showing your earnings and federal withholding tax withheld. As a Non-Resident Alien, different tax rules apply to you. Please consult with your tax advisor or the Internal Revenue Service for more information.

Annual Statement Required from Pension Recipients

In January 2018, you received an Annual Statement that needs to be completed and sent back to the Fund Office by May 15, 2018. Pensioners with direct deposit received a separate mailing containing the Annual Statement form. This form is sent every year to verify you received all of your pension checks from the prior year, to verify your mailing address, to update your file with any new information, and to verify that you are not working in any employment prohibited by the Plan rules. A Summary About the Kinds of Work Not Allowed is also sent every year and is included with this mailing.

Section A of the Annual Statement must be completed, Section B should be completed only if necessary to explain "NO" answers in Section A, and Section C must be signed by you and your signature must be notarized by a Notary Public. The Fund Office has a notary on staff if you would like to come in to complete the form. Valid photo identification is required. Read more...

Annual Funding Notice & Green Zone Notice

The Pension Protection Act of 2006 (PPA), added requirements for measuring the financial health of multiemployer pension plans such as ours. PPA requires the Laborers' Pension Fund’s (Fund's) actuary to determine the Fund’s financial status under these rules and certify that status annually. If the Fund’s status is critical (“Red Zone”) or endangered (“Yellow Zone”), the Trustees must notify all plan participants, beneficiaries, participating unions and contributing employers in writing Read more...

Restated Plan Rules and Regulations

All pension plans are required to reapply to the Internal Revenue Service for tax-exempt status and restate our Plan Rules and Regulations, which involves submitting an updated version of the rules, including all amendments made since it was last restated on June 30, 2010. The Laborers’ Pension Fund restated our Plan Rules and Regulations on January 12, 2015. A Notice to Interested Parties was mailed between January 19, 2015 and January 20, 2015, advising of the restated rules and explaining the employee's right to comment, under Section 17 of Rev. Proc. 2014-6. Read more...

Notice of Election of Funding Relief

Earlier this year, Congress passed a law that relaxes certain minimum funding requirements for eligible mulitemployer pension plans. The relief gives pension plans a longer period of time to overcome the investment losses that they suffered in late 2008 and early 2009. For a plan to qualify for the relief, its actuary has to certify that the plan is projected to have enough funds to cover all benefit payments and expenses for the extended funding period. Read more...

Summary Plan Descriptions

The Laborers’ Pension Fund restated our Summary Plan Description on June 1, 2009. This document was mailed in July 2009. If you did not receive the Summary Plan Description or if you need another copy, please contact the Fund Office. Please note that that you will not receive the Summary Plan Description if you moved and failed to notify the Fund of your new address. If you moved in the last year, you may need to submit a Change of Address form.

The Summary Plan Description can be viewed and printed from our website. If you would like to receive this document in its original booklet format, please submit a request to our office. This request can be made via mail, telephone or email Pension@chilpwf.com.